SKILLED Irish professionals are expected to stay in Australia longer after changes to visa rules.

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Accountants, scientists, teachers, engineers and medical staff can all remain working in the country indefinitely.

And the changes mean that more Irish construction workers will permanently emigrate there.

Immigration officials in New South Wales have just announced an expansion of its skilled occupation list.

Migration experts www.visafirst.com said that this will have a significant impact on the Irish working community in Sydney and surrounding areas, as it means that those with skills in many trades and professions can now be nominated by the New South Wales government for a permanent resident Australian visa.

Edwina Shanahan from www.visafirst.com said: "Until November, there were only 32 occupations on this list: this has now risen to 120. This will come as welcome news both to Irish already living in NSW and to those planning to travel in the next 12 months."